Going Loco: Further Adventures of a Scottish Country Doctor

Picking up from where his first memoir left off, Dr Tom is back with more of his gloriously eccentric stories. Still based as a locum in his beloved Scotland, he now takes time out from the surgery for stints as a medical researcher, travelling wherever he is called, from Rio to Jerusalem, Vienna to Singapore.

An Irish Country Love Story: A Novel

It's the winter of 1967, and snow is on the ground in the colorful Irish village of Ballybucklebo, but the chilly weather can't stop love from warming hearts all over the county. Not just the love between a man and woman, as with young doctor Barry Laverty and his fiancée, Sue Nolan, who are making plans to start a new life together, but also the love of an ailing pensioner for a faithful dog that's gone missing, the love of the local gentry for the great estate they are on the verge of losing, or Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly's love for his longtime home and practice.

Medic on the Move: Even Further Adventures of a Scottish Country Doctor: Seaside Practice Trilogy, Book 3

In the third book in the Seaside Practice Trilogy, which started with A Seaside Practice and continued with Going Loco, we follow the further adventures of Dr Tom as he returns to his native Ayrshire to set up a business and take on Locums. As ever, life is never simple, with murders, mayhem and colourful characters peppering his tales.

Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse in Scotland's Western Isles

Tired of the pace and noise of life near London and longing for a better place to raise their young children, Mary J. MacLeod and her husband, George, encountered their dream while vacationing on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides. Enthralled by its windswept beauty, they soon were the proud and startled owners of a near-derelict croft house - a farmer’s stone cottage - on “a small acre” of land. Mary assumed duties as the island’s district nurse.

Murder in an Irish Village

In the small village of Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, Natalie's Bistro has always been warm and welcoming. Nowadays 22-year-old Siobhan O'Sullivan runs the family bistro named for her mother, along with her five siblings, after the death of their parents in a car crash almost a year ago. It's been a rough year for the O'Sullivans, but it's about to get rougher. One morning, as they're opening the bistro, they discover a man seated at a table with a pair of hot pink barber scissors protruding from his chest.

All Things Wise and Wonderful

This enchanting collection of stories is the warm and joyful sequel to All Things Bright and Beautiful and All Creatures Great and Small, the memoirs of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian.

The Lord God Made Them All

The volume that completes the verse: All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. These are the memoirs of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Herriot continues the rich and rewarding day-to-day life of a small-town veterinarian, and we journey with him across the dales, meeting a whole new cast of unforgettable characters - humans, dogs, horses, lambs, parakeets - all of them drawn with the same infinite fascination, affection and insight that made James Herriot one of the most beloved authors of our time. And all the stories are warmly, evocatively told by the world-renowned "voice" of Dr. Herriot: Christopher Timothy.

All Creatures Great and Small

In this first volume of his memoirs, then-newly-qualified vet James Herriot arrives in the small Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and he has no idea what to expect. How will he get on with his new boss? The local farmers? And what will the animals think? This program is filled with hilarious and touching tales of the unpredictable Siegfried Farnon, his charming student brother Tristan, and Herriot's first encounters with a beautiful girl named Helen.

Nurse, Come You Here!: More True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle

Mary J. Macleod and her husband left the London area for an idyllic place to raise their young children in the late '60s, and they found the island of Papavray in the Scottish Hebrides. There they bought a croft house on a "small acre" of land, and Mary J. (also known as Julia) became the district nurse.

Crowned and Dangerous

Nothing is simple when you're 35th in line for the British crown, least of all marriage. But with love on their side and plans to elope, Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her beau, Darcy O'Mara, hope to bypass a few royal rules....

A Quiet Life in the Country: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 1

Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation...

Buried in a Bog: County Cork Mystery Series, Book 1

Honoring the wish of her late grandmother, Maura Donovan visits the small Irish village where her Gran was born-though she never expected to get bogged down in a murder mystery. Nor had she planned to take a job in one of the local pubs, but she finds herself excited to get to know the people who knew her Gran. In the pub, she's swamped with drink orders as everyone in town gathers to talk about the recent discovery of a nearly 100-year-old body in a nearby bog.

In Milady's Chamber: John Pickett Mysteries, Book 1

Estranged from her husband through her failure to produce an heir, Lady Fieldhurst resolves to repay his neglect by taking a lover. Fate takes a hand when she and her would-be lover enter her bedchamber to find Lord Fieldhurst lying on the floor - with her nail scissors protruding from his neck.

Precious and Grace: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 17

Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's premier lady detective, is a little short on help. The codirector of the agency, Grace Makutsi, is busy with her own case, her client none other than their erstwhile assistant, Mr. Polopetsi, who has unwittingly involved himself in a pyramid scheme. The agency's other assistant, Charlie, may also need more help than he can offer, as he is newly embroiled in a romance with a glamorous woman about whom the others have their doubts.

At Home in Mitford: The Mitford Years, Book 1

It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's 60 years old.

Mrs Pargeter's Principle

For Mrs Pargeter, it is a matter of principle that she should complete any of her late husband's unfinished business. Amongst his many bequests, perhaps the most valuable is his little black book, in which he listed all the people who ever worked for him, with details of their particular skill sets. This means that whenever Mrs P has a crime to solve, she can readily contact someone with the relevant expertise.

Publisher's Summary

When he arrives to take up his first posting as a GP in Collintrae, a small fishing village on the West coast of Scotland, young Tom Smith isn't quite sure what to expect. Certainly, nothing in his medical training could have prepared him for what he finds - a baker with nine lives, Mad Maggie in the Muck, and a gaggle of giggling nuns are just a few of the extraordinary cases that he comes up against.

Heartwarming and gloriously eccentric, Dr Tom's stories capture the beauty of the Lowlands, the joys and sorrows of its inhabitants, and the richly rewarding experiences of life as a Scottish country doctor.

What the Critics Say

"An affectionate and hugely entertaining memoir of the incident-packed five years that Smith spent looking after the mainly farming families in his patch. If only modern medicine had as much heart." (Guardian)

What a wonderful listen! I normally avoid books that are narrated by the author, but I enjoyed listening to Dr. Smith's inflecitons...and reading between the lines. My only regret is that it wasn't longer.

I truly enjoyed this light, heartwarming tale. I have always felt drawn to things and stories from Ireland and Scotland (my heritage). This was a relaxing and uplifting tale that I would recommend to my friends.

I enjoyed this pleasant, nicely-paced, and well-read book. The author's stories of his experiences as a Scottish GP were interesting, funny, sad, but never boring. I listened to it while ironing and sorting and doing other homely tasks - it made the time pass pleasurably and my workload feel lighter.

If you, like me, loved the James Herriott books you will be delighted with this book. Usually I think it is a mistake when the author is also the narrator, but in this case it was perfect! Tom Smith's voice is melodic and pleasant.

The stories were interesting and entertaining. Doesn't have the heart that Herriot's stories have, but it is still worth the time. The reader's accent was a bit distracting, and I was frustrated with the Gaelic pronunciations without seeing the word, but that's my stuff.

I really enjoyed this. It was read by the author who has a charming, soft Scottish accent which I really loved to listen to. His reading is a little stilted at times, but his accent more than made up for it to me.
Similar to the Herriot stories (but a Doctor's life in Scotland rather than a vet in Yorkshire) as with Herriot it's the eccentric and colourful locals who make this book interesting.
I would definitely recommend it for an enjoyable listen.

The stories ring true from my rural experience. Well illustrates the dictum from Sir William Osler: it's more important to know which patient has the disease than what disease the patient hasMichael Klein MDROBERTS Creek BC Canada

What I enjoyed was the author reading the book, it has the best intonation etc. A good story filling in the parts about what we patients look like to GPs!

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Gillian

Richmond, United Kingdom

9/24/11

Overall

"Memories of Times Gone By"

Dr Smith's narrative of his beginnings as a junior doctor to becoming the Family Doctor take us back in time when that role was so important for his patients whether the doctor was in the country or suburbia. Back in a time when life was less complicated, less demanding and more intertwined with people.
He restores my memories to when as a child, the lookout patrol announced loudly for the whole neighbourhood to know "the doctor's here"; the lookout in place because he had been called to attend to a sick child or children. The arrival of the Family Doctor had a sense of security that all would be well. Even if he should call by for a social visit. The doctor knew everything - along with the Chemist!
Dr Smith's wonderful Scottish lilt and humour takes us on his journey with his supportive wife and children. Once settled back in his native land, he reveals many good stories of family doctor and patient and locals.
Thank goodness for wonderful story tellers like Dr Smith who can revive such wonderful memories!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Andrew Stuart

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

9/25/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Book For Country Folk"

Would you listen to A Seaside Practice again? Why?

I would definitely listen to this book again. It brought back memories of my childhood, in that I could associate with the kind of characters Tom wrote about and could even imagine how my childhood GPs could have easily found themselves in similar circumstances.

Have you listened to any of Tom Smith’s other performances? How does this one compare?

This is the first Tom Smith book I have listened to but it will not be the last, I always think there is something special about listening to a reading by the author.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ms. A. Stevenson

Glossop, Derbyshire, UK

7/31/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great for those with an interest in medicine."

Really enjoyed listening to the tales of he GP and looking forward to listening to the sequel. I have an interest in medical history and found each tale about the different patients both amusing and fascinating. The writer has narrated the book and his wonderful Scottish accent helps to set the scene, though his voice was sometime monotonous.

Overall, an enjoyable book.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Dogstooth

Yorkshire, UK

10/22/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"1960's Scotland"

A jolly little tale of highland life and made better by the medical content. The reader was not professional and lacked storytelling inflections that would have made the whole thing better.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sile

Kent, England

7/17/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Disengaged"

This book could have been so much more:- more amusing; more engaging; more interesting.

If you have read, and enjoyed, the series by James Herriott about his adventures as a vet, or Patrick Taylor's amusing tales of a young, Irish doctor going into country general practice, then, like myself, you may have picked up this book hoping it would be more of the the same, or at least similar. Alas, you may find yourself disappointed with "A Seaside Practice" in this regard. "A Seaside Practice" is more auto-biographical looking at his Scottish country practice in the 1960s - prior to NHS efficiency drives - than engaging revelations, but, as Dr Smith himself admits, he does not befriend his patients, and the result seems to be all connection is lost: between the doctor and his patient, and the doctor and his listener/reader. So, this book feelks more like a tome about cases the good doctor himself thought would make amusing anecdotes for general readers, but it truly missed the mark for this listener.

I'm afraid, too, I had issues with Dr Smith's reading of his own book. It was a little flat, he faltered, all to frequently, on words, and I could hear pages being turned and mistakes being made, though the overall sound quality was good, being even in volume and pacing. Perhaps I might have enjoyed the book more if someone else had narrated it, but it certainly needed an editor who knows how to elicit an engaging style from their writer.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

wrcaldwell

Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

9/14/12

Overall

"a sea side practise"

I found this to be slow uninteresting rarely even raising a smile it has been a long time I have struggled to listen to a book to the end!

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

Tab

uk

12/3/10

Overall

"Quite frankly unbelievable"

I couldn't get past the first hour of this book. I know that most autobiographical books of this sort are largely fictional, but the author stretches the limits of credulity much too far. At least with James Herriot there was a possibility that each incident had really happened - this was just silly in comparison, and I couldn't bear to listen to it any more. Pity.

1 of 5 people found this review helpful

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